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Sweet Tortelli

17/11/2023

Sweet tortelli, also known as “jam tortelli” in some areas of Italy, are traditional desserts for the Carnival period. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 500 g of flour
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 100 g of butter (room temperature)
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 egg yolk (for brushing the tortelli before baking)
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon (untreated)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 sachet of baking powder
  • Apricot jam or another flavor to your liking for the filling
  • Powdered sugar for decoration

Preparation

  1. In a large bowl, sift the flour together with the baking powder and arrange it in a well.
  2. In the center of the well, add the sugar, the soft butter in pieces, the eggs, the lemon zest, and the pinch of salt.
  3. Knead everything until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough. If the dough is too hard, you can add a tablespoon of milk to soften it.
  4. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
  5. After the resting time, take the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 3 mm thick.
  6. Using a round cookie cutter or a glass, cut out discs of dough.
  7. Put a teaspoon of jam in the center of half of the dough discs, being careful to leave a free edge all around.
  8. Cover the discs with the jam with the other discs of dough and seal the edges by pressing gently with your fingers or with the tines of a fork.
  9. Transfer the tortelli to a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush them with beaten egg yolk, and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 °C for about 20 minutes or until golden.
  10. Remove the tortelli from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
  11. If desired, you can dust them with powdered sugar before serving.

Curiosity

Sweet tortelli are a tradition in many Italian regions, and depending on the area they can change name and also the type of filling, which can be ricotta, chestnut, or chocolate, but the jam version is one of the most widespread and appreciated.

This dessert, being typical of Carnival, represents the joy and festive spirit characteristic of this period. They are perfect to share with family or friends.

Happy Carnival and happy preparation of sweet tortelli!

Sweet Tortelli